Bow-facing manually-operated boat-propelling apparatus.



A. G. OHAUDRON. BOW FACING MANUALLY OPERATED BOAT PROPELLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 24,. 1910 987,794.

Patented Mar.28,1911.

., WASHINGTON, 0. c.

ALFRED e. GHAUDRON, or FLOMATON, ALABAM ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF '10 s. H. NEWTON, or PoLLAnn, ALABAMA.

BOW-FACING MANUALLY-OPERATED BOAT-PROPELLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented eat. as, tall.

Application filed September 24, 1910. Serial No. 583,620.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED G. OHAUDRON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flomaton, in the county of Escambia and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bow-Facing lVlanually-Operated Boat-Propelling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improved manually operated boat propelling apparatus by which an oarsman is enabled to face the bow while propelling the boat, the invent-ion consisting in the construction, combination and arrangement of devices, herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a manually operated boat propelling apparatus constructed in accordance with mv invention, a portion of one side of the boat being indicated, and Figs. 2 and 3, are detail Views.

For the purposes of this specification, I

will describe only one boat propelling apparatus. It will be understood that in prac tice, two will be used, one disposed on each side of the boat.

\Vhile I herein show and describe what I now regard as a preferred form of my invention, I would have it understood that I am not limited to the precise construction and combination of devices herein shown and described as it is evident that modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

The gunwale of the boat is indicated at 1. To the same at a point in advance of one of the thwarts, is attached as by means of a suitable clamp, a spindle 2, on which is pivotally mounted a lever 8, which may be manually operated, either by directly grasping the same, as though it were an oar, or through the instrumentality of an upright lever bar 4 connected thereto by a suitable connecting rod 5, there being flexible joints between the said rod, the said lever 3 and the said lever bar 4. One end of the lever 3 extends outboard. At a suitable distance aft is a rocking element which is here shown as a horizontally disposed substantially U- shaped bolster 6, the arms of which extend outward and the inner end of which is pivotally mounted on the spindle 7 of a clamp 8 which is secured to the gunwale. The

arms of the said bolster or rocking element which are properly spaced apart are provided with bearings for a paddle shaft 9, the axis of which is at right angles to the pivotal axis of the said rocking element or bolster. At the lower end of the paddle shaft is a paddle 10, the major portion of which extends outwardly from the paddle shaft, the smaller or front end portion 11 of which extends from the other side of the paddle shaft. On the paddle shaft at a point a suitable distance from the upper end thereof, is an adjustable collar 12 which is secured to the paddle shaft as by means of a set screw 13, and is provided with a stop arm 1a which extends radially therefrom, the upper arm of the rocking element being also provided with a stop arm 15, which extends upwardly therefrom and is disposed in the path of the stop arm 14:. To the upper portion of the paddle shaft is attached a rocking arm 16 which is adjustable on the paddle shaft and may be secured thereto at any desired point by a set screw 17 or other suitable device. A rod 18 has its front end flexibly connected to the outer end of the lever 3, and its rear end flexibly connected to the rock arm 16.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Assuming that the paddle is at the forward end of its movement, the same will be in an elevated position just about or slightly below the surface of the water.

The upper end of the paddle shaft will be turned rearwardly, and the rock arm 16 will be turned rearwardly, the inner end of the lever 3, being turned forwardly. The said lever 3 is then drawn rearwardly by the oarsnian seated on the thwart just aft of said lever, thus causing the outer end of said lever to sweep forwardly with the result that it rocks the rocking element and the paddle shaft which is carried thereby. Owing to the fact that the major portion of the paddle extends outwardly from the paddle shaft, and the paddle being submerged, the paddle turns until its stop pin 14 engages the stop pin 15, thus disposing the paddle at substantially right angles to the boat and the paddle moves rearwardly through and under the water, a distance according to the length of the stroke of the lever 3. On the recovering stroke, of said lever, the initial reverse movement thereof and the action of the water on the paddle cause the latter to feather, that is to say to dispose itself parallel with the line of movement of the boat, and during the remainder of the recovering strolre of the lever 23, the paddle l remains in such position, so that itoffers very slight resistance to the water. The stop arm lt moves from the stop arm 15 during the recovering stroke of the lever, and the feathering of the paddle, and on the initial rowing, or propelling stroke of the lever 3, the operation hereinbefore de scribed is repeated with the result that the boat is propelled.

I claim 1. In manually operated boat propelling apparatus, the combination of a lever, a rocking element, a paddle shaft revolubly mounted in the rocking element, the axis of said paddle shaft being at right angles to the pivotal axis of said rocking element, a paddle at the lower end of said shaft, at substantially right angles thereto, the major portion of said paddle extending to one side of said paddle shaft, a rocking arm on said paddle shaft, and means connecting said rocking arm to the said lever.

2. In manually operated boat propelling apparatus, the combination of a lever, a rocking element, a paddle shaft, revolubly mounted in the rocking element, the axis of said shaft being at right angles to the piv otal axis of said rocking element, and said shaft, and said rocking element being provided with coacting means to limit the revoluble movement of said shaft, a paddle at the lower end of said shaft at substantially right angles thereto, the major portion of said paddle extending to one side of said shaft, a rock arm on said paddle shaft, and ineans connecting said rock arm to the said ever.

3. In manually operated boat propelling apparatus, the combination of a lever, a rocking element, a paddle shaft revolubly mounted in the rocking element, and also mounted for longitudinal movement therein, said rocking element having a stop, a collar adjustably secured on said shaft and having a stop to coact with that of said rocking element to limit the angular or revoluble movement of said paddle shaft, a paddle at the lower end of-said paddle shaft, at substantially right angles thereto, the major portion of said paddle extending to one side of said shaft, a rock arm on said paddle shaft, and connecting means between the said rock arm and the said lever.

In manually operated boat propelling apparatus, the combination of a lever, a rocking element, a paddle shaft revolubly mounted in the rocking element, and also mounted for longitudinal movement therein, said rocking elementhaving a stop, a collar adjustably secured on said shaft and having a stop to coact with that of said rocking element to limit the angular or revoluble movement of said paddle shaft, a paddle at the lower end of said paddle shaft, at substantially right angles thereto, the major portion of said paddle extending to one side of said shaft, a rock arm on said paddle shaft, and provided with means whereby said rock arm may be adjusted longitudinally of said paddle shaft, and connecting means between the said rock arm and the said lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED G. CHAUDRON.

Witnesses:

H. D. FINLAY, S. H. NEWTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

